(Photo by Jeff Hasselmann) Alongside her parents, Brian and Sandy Holck, and with Tiger head coach Marc Bruning looking on, Spencer senior Emily Holck signed a national letter of intent to play golf for Augustana College Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at Spencer High School. [Order this photo]

Spencer's Emily Holck made her intentions known Wednesday, signing a national letter of intent to play college golf for head coach Peggy Kirby and the Vikings of Augustana College.

"I'm very excited. I'm ready to move on and take the next step," said Holck at her signing in the conference room at Spencer High School. "They've got a good program and very good coaches."

Holck, who has been a 4-year starter for head coach Marc Bruning and the Spencer Tigers, joins a program that is fresh off a 2007 fall North Central Conference championship and one that has qualified for the NCAA Division II women's golf regional for the second straight year.

"She'll do just fine at the college level. She works at it," said Bruning. "She'll put countless hours into making herself a better player than she already is."

Holck's intentions to play for the Vikings, however, came with academics and her career as her top priorities.

"Their nursing program is really what led me there," Holck commented. "I looked at the academics first and if the golf program fell into place, then I'd go there."

Holck, who had an opportunity to play with the Augustana women's golf team last week, said another pull for the golf program was the number of courses located in and around Sioux Falls, saying, "they don't have just one home course, they play at a bunch of different courses."

Holck, a 3-year All-Conference performer, has picked up in 2008 where she left off in '07, turning in the top season of her prep career. She has earned medalist honors in each of the Tigers' four Lakes Conference duals and at both the Spencer Invitational and the Carroll Kuemper Invitational.

"With each year she's been in high school she's improved her game tremendously," Bruning commented of his four-year starter, "and I think there's aspects in all phases of the game she can still improve whether it be off the tee, in the fairway or on the green. That's why I think she will be successful because she will continue to improve."

Holck currently holds a 42.8 nine-hole average and an 85.0 18-hole average. Last season as a junior, Holck averaged 46.9 strokes per nine holes and 85.6 per 18. She also qualified for state individually, garnering All-District and second team All-State honors.

Holck will shoot for her third state golf meet appearance this season after also qualifying with the Spencer team as a freshman.